KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Pat Clarke, a 3rd District Committeeman, and a group calling themselves Urban Core Park Users are upset at Swope Park’s development path. The group is passionate about their perception of how city officials view children in the inner city.
“There’s nothing for black folks,” said Clarke.
Clarke said the recreational activities in Swope Park are not geared towards the African American community.
“We got soccer villages and everything coming up around us. We got a Frisbee golf across the parking lot, we’ve got a community garden in the center field of a baseball diamond,” said Clarke. “I grew up playing out here.”
This group wants the city to put more emphasis on the sports they grew up playing, to preserve what they had for their children.
“We came out here to the parks to play baseball in the summertime, to play basketball courts just to get us a round and have activities to do,” said protester Eric Gault.
“With all the crime and violence, without baseball and basketball, what else do you have?” asked Tyrone Davis, another protester.
Clarke said he has been in discussions with city officials to build a softball complex on the site of the softball fields that sit at 69th and Elmwood, but he said so far, the city is not listening and his proposal is not going anywhere.
“I was looking where they are looking as redoing the fountains in Kansas City. They could take that money and build somewhere for those kids to go,” said Clarke. “We are just being wronged as a people in Kansas City. That’s a fact.”
It is important to note this is their opinion, and fox 4 tried to speak to people in the parks department, 5th ward council members and a representative for the city; however none of our reporter’s numerous calls were returned.
